Looters descend on downtown Chicago; more than 100 arrested
Hundreds of people smashed windows, stole from stores and clashed with police early Monday in Chicago’s Magnificent Mile shopping district and other parts of the city’s downtown.
First Amendment
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Judge nixes Trump bid to delay suit from woman alleging rape
A New York judge knocked down President Donald Trump’s bid to delay a lawsuit from a woman who accused him of rape, ruling in a decision released Thursday that the presidency doesn’t shield him from the case.
Man who allegedly targeted Black neighbor with swastika, slurs charged with hate crime
An Indiana man, allegedly angered by the removal of a tree, is charged with a hate crime for attempting to intimidate an African American neighbor because of his race, the U.S. Justice Department announced Thursday.
Notre Dame Law’s Religious Liberty Clinic expects broad reach
Notre Dame Law School’s new Religious Liberty Clinic is designed to train lawyers in all practice areas to grapple with issues of religious freedom. “It’s critical that if we fight for freedom of religion, it’s for freedom of all religious faiths or no faith at all,” Dean G. Marcus Cole said.
Protesters restricted from Terre Haute execution site sue ISP
Protesters kept away from the federal prison in Terre Haute during executions last month have filed a lawsuit in federal court, arguing the Indiana State Police violated their First Amendment rights by erecting roadblocks and preventing them from holding vigils immediately outside the entrance of the facility.
Source: US, Oregon in talks about pulling agents in Portland
The Trump administration has started talks with the Oregon governor’s office and indicated that it would begin to draw down the presence of federal agents sent to quell two months of chaotic protests in Portland if the state stepped up its own enforcement, a senior White House official said Tuesday.
Barr condemns ‘rioters’ in much-anticipated House testimony
Attorney General William Barr defended the aggressive federal law enforcement response to civil unrest in America, saying on Tuesday “violent rioters and anarchists have hijacked legitimate protests” sparked by George Floyd’s death at the hands of Minneapolis police.
SCOTUS denies Nevada church’s appeal of COVID-19 restrictions
A sharply divided U.S. Supreme Court denied a rural Nevada church’s request late Friday to strike down as unconstitutional a 50-person cap on worship services as part of the state’s ongoing response to the coronavirus.
Judge blocks US agents from arresting observers in Portland
A federal judge specifically blocked U.S. agents from arresting or using physical force against journalists and legal observers at protests in Oregon’s largest city where President Donald Trump is testing the limits of federal power.
Marion County to enact new restrictions after surge in COVID-19 cases
Due to a surge in COVID-19 cases, Marion County will implement new pandemic-related restrictions on Friday, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett announced Thursday. Included in the restrictions is the closure of bars and nightclubs for the next several weeks.
Judge frees ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen from prison
A judge ordered the release from prison of President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer on Thursday, saying he believes the government retaliated against him for planning to release a book about Trump before November’s election.
Judge hears Oregon request to restrain federal agents
A federal judge heard arguments Wednesday on Oregon’s request for a restraining order against federal agents sent to Portland to attempt to quell protests that have spiraled into nightly clashes between authorities and demonstrators.
Trump, Barr to expand anti-crime surge to several US cities
President Donald Trump and Attorney General William Barr are expected to announce Wednesday that federal agents will surge into several American cities including Chicago to help combat rising crime, expanding the administration’s intervention in local enforcement as Trump runs for reelection under a “law and order” mantle.
JQC issues guidance on judges participating in marches, social issue events
Indiana judicial officers who want to participate in public events aimed at addressing social issues are allowed to do so, as long as they can in a manner that doesn’t impinge upon the independence, integrity, and impartiality of the judiciary, a new advisory opinion from the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications says.
Conviction upheld for man who killed wife over mental health issues
A man who shot and killed his wife during an argument about her mental health issues could not convince the Indiana Court of Appeals on Friday that his decades-long sentence for murder was inappropriate.
Evansville bench, bar backing words on racial injustice with actions
The Evansville Bar Association has put forward a detailed plan to address the problems of racial inequality and injustice by not only educating local legal professionals but also fostering a conversation within the larger community.
Officer’s actions toward Black Indiana senator under review
Indiana State Police are reviewing allegations that a white Capitol Police officer reached for his handgun while confronting a Black state senator inside the Statehouse over the weekend, an agency spokesman said Tuesday.
Disciplinary commission warns of social media slip-ups that can violate rules
Lawyers must proactively police and amend their social media pages to ensure third-party comments don’t break ethical rules, a new advisory opinion from the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission says.
Thomas spoke, Roberts ruled in unusual Supreme Court term
Justice Clarence Thomas spoke and Chief Justice John Roberts ruled. The US Supreme Court’s most unusual term featured victories for immigrants, abortion rights, LGBTQ workers and religious freedoms. The usually quiet Thomas’ baritone was heard by the whole world when the coronavirus outbreak upended the court’s traditional way of doing business. When the biggest decisions were handed down, the chief justice was almost always in the majority and dictated the reach of the court’s most controversial cases, whether they were won by the left or the right.
Voting hours lawsuit highlights change in tactics for Common Cause
In its latest lawsuit seeking to overturn an amended state law that limits the extension of voting hours on Election Day, Common Cause Indiana said it is again having to go to court to fight voter suppression efforts that have increased since Republican supermajorities took control of both chambers of the Statehouse.